


Today Is...

by Blue_Robin



Category: Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-10-22 11:55:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17662157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Robin/pseuds/Blue_Robin
Summary: Written for avispixie after they left me a prompt request on tumblr."Number 18 with Robin & Cormoran!"Number 18 was, "Why didn't you tell me?"





	Today Is...

He stepped into the Tottenham and ran a hand through his rain misted curls as he ran a glance around the pub looking for Robin.

Cormoran had been worried about Robin all day, but she’d refused to admit anything was wrong when he’d asked if she was alright.  

“I’m fine,” she’d said this morning when he’d walked out to greet her from the inner office after hearing her come in but not hearing her call out her customary greeting.

“Nothing,” she’d muttered when he’d made her tea and tried to start a conversation about Sticky Hands around midday and she’d barely acknowledged him.

“Nothing to talk about,” she’d practically growled at him as he was leaving for surveillance on Sticky Hands and he’d asked if she wanted to talk about it over drinks later that evening.

But he knew better. He knew his partner well enough now to know that something was bothering her, but for the life of him he couldn’t figure out what. She didn’t seem angry, at least not until she’d growled at him as he walked out the door. And she didn’t seem depressed.

She was just quiet.

Flat.

Her usual glow had been absent.

As used as he was to her smiling at him in the morning, joking with him over a cuppa in the afternoons, or meeting up with him occasionally in the evenings for a drink in the Tottenham, the Robin he’d been faced with today was utterly alien to him.

He’d made up his mind to leave her alone, to just wait and see how she turned up tomorrow morning. She deserved her privacy after all. Goodness knew she usually left him alone when he was deep in a brood. But then, as he was heading back to the office from trailing Sticky Hands, he’d gotten a call from Nick.

“Hey Oggy. Is Robin OK?” Nick had asked.

“Seems unusually quiet but as far as I know she’s fine. Why?”

“Well, Ilsa invited her over for dinner with us tonight and said that Robin never answered. It’s not like her. So naturally Ils is worried, but she didn’t want to pry.” Nick’s voice had betrayed his worry as well. And Cormoran had agreed, it was certainly not at all like his partner to leave anyone unanswered. And most especially not Ilsa, who’d become her closest friend in London.

“Last time I saw her I was leaving the office. Let me see if I can track her down. I’ll text you when I find her. Tell Ilsa not to worry.”

Now, he’d just found her in The Tottenham, ensconced in the darkest corner. Tom, the bartender had said she’d been there since five o’clock and hadn’t had but one glass of wine.

Tom had seemed worried as well.

This was the thing with Robin. Everyone liked her. Everyone was brightened by the glow she emanated. So naturally it was worrying to everyone when that glow dimmed.

And right now, her glow was so dim that he’d have missed seeing her in that dark corner she’d chosen to sit in if Tom hadn’t pointed her out.

He ordered a pint and a second glass of wine, as well as a double order of chips and made his way over to her.

He set the glass of white in front of her, pulled out his chair, sat, and waited.

And waited.

He picked up his pint and took a deep gulp. Watching her, as she watched him. She hadn’t touched the new glass of wine but had instead just continued to stroke the side of her index finger up and down the stem of the glass she’d apparently been nursing.

Her blue grey eyes finally met his for a fraction of a moment and he simply raised a brow, inviting her to speak.

She shook her head and looked away.

But this time she removed her hands from the table.

They were now clutched in her lap so tightly that her knuckles were white.

Something was seriously wrong here.

He sacrificed the silent technique and dove in, “I know something is wrong. And you don’t have to talk to me. But you should talk to someone.”

“Cormoran, I’m fine. Again.” Her voice was tight. Her lips were thin. Her eyes were still downcast.

“You aren’t. I know you aren’t. I haven’t worked with you for these past few years without learning a few things about you.”

“Yeah?” she challenged. “What have you learned then?”

“I’ve learned that when you get quiet, we have a problem.” He held up a hand, “Not that you’re any great chatterbox. But you typically talk to me through the day and you didn’t today.”

“I just have a lot on my mind. Cases. I’m busy.” She was still clutching her hands together but now she’d at least looked up at him.

“No. This is more than that.” He paused and briefly weighed the wisdom of what he was about to say next, decided to chance it, “Robin, look at me please.” He waited until her eyes met his. “You aren’t glowing.”

Her eyebrows lowered in a confused frown over those smoky blue eyes and he continued, “When you’re happy you glow. You radiate this aura of excitement and joy. It’s one of the things that makes you so good at what you do.”

“I glow?”

“Yes. It’s obvious to everyone who knows you. You light up the space around you Robin, with your smile and your attitude. You’re a ray of sunshine most days.” He reached out to lay a hand over the hand that had returned to the table, forefinger back to stroking the stem of her wineglass. “But today there appears to be a thunderstorm brewing. And we’re all worried. Nick. Ilsa. Me.” He snorted a laugh, “Hell even Tom over there,” he jabbed a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the bar, “is worried about you. So please, don’t insult me again and tell me nothing’s wrong. I know better.”

She turned her hand over in his and he threaded his fingers through hers automatically. She tightened her hold and he braced himself.

“Today is,” she faltered. Swallowed. Squeezed his hand even tighter.

She glanced up and he could see the tears welling. She relinquished his hand as he stood up and moved to her side of the table, sliding into the booth with her, draping his arm around her now shaking shoulders. The hand not stroking her upper arm moved to the side of her face and turned her into his chest.

As she sobbed quietly against him, his kissed the top of her head, his heart breaking at how tiny she felt against his side, and how helpless he was to fix this for her. “Oh Robin,” he whispered into her hair. “Why didn’t you tell me?”


End file.
